Chapter 1: Wonderful
Rachel had had enough of sitting in her mother's office, doing the forms that she had been requested to do. She was just finishing up the last form when her mom poked her head into the room. "Rachel, honey, we're going home in thirty minutes."
"I'm all done, Mom," she replied hastily. "Can I go across the street and see Karina?" Karina was a good friend of Rachel's that worked in the hospital that Jacob was staying in. "Just for a little bit. And maybe Jeni will be there too." Jennifer was another of Rachel's good friends, and a friend to Jacob too.
"Okay, sure, but make sure you're back here at 4:30."
"Okay, Mom." So Rachel headed to the hospital, with her hidden motive: She was going to spend as much time as she possibly could with Jacob, try to slowly insinuate herself into his life.
~*~
He sat up in his bed, staring blankly out the window. It was cold; cold and, well, cold. Jacob didn't want to admit he had a problem, but they had figured it out. Why me? he asked himself. "Why was I the one that had to have an eating disorder?"
"You have an eating disorder?" Rachel repeated, appearing at the doorway. "Sorry. I couldn't help but overhear. I was looking for Kari or Jeni but neither of them are here... hey, I know you! You're Jacob!"
"Yeah... you're... Rachel, aren't you?"
Rachel smiled. "Yes. Are you okay? After the way you fell last night, I was afraid you were a goner."
"So I heard. You were the one that got there first, huh?"
"Well, yeah. I was worried about you. Just to let you know, I think you're really talented and I admire you for that. It would have been a shame if something bad really did happen to you."
"Well, something did," Jacob admitted. "My parents found out that I'm a bulimic."
Rachel winced, and then was speechless. Then she began, slowly, "Well, how did you become one?" She sat on the chair next to his bed. Normally, Jacob would mind someone just barging into his room and sitting, asking him about personal stuff, but somehow, Rachel didn't bother him. He felt like he could trust her. So he told her.
"One day, at figure skating practice, my coach was like, 'Jacob, you should, well, lose a pound or two, just because I don't like the way your foot is hitting the ice.' And since skating is just about everything to me, I took her advice. It was kind of hard, though, considering how much my family eats... I hope this doesn't sound piggy or anything, but we Japanese love food."
Rachel nodded in agreement. "Don't worry. I bet the Filipinos love food more than you do." She smiled and then said, "Go on."
"Well, so I would eat with them. And one day, after dinner, I had the urge to rid myself of all the fatty stuff I had eaten. So, well... I'm pretty sure you've heard what bulimics do."
"Yeah. Pretty much."
"So that's basically what happened. After I had lost that extra two pounds, I was so afraid it would come back that I kept on eating, and purging, long enough that my stomach started to bother me a lot. And pretty soon I was tired, my head was throbbing, my throat hurt, my stomach was killing me, I couldn't see straight, stuff like that. I think it had nothing to do with my bulimia, I think I had just gotten sick, but the bulimia had caused much stress."
Rachel nodded silently, and Jacob continued, "And last night, I just felt overwhelmed, plus my stomach was hurting, and my head was spinning and everything, and I was so tired... and then the next thing I remember is waking up here."
"How long are you staying here?" she asked.
He thought for a minute. "I don't know, actually. I have to ask."
"Well, tell me when you know. I want to be here for you, just because I think you're great and I want to get to know you better."
Jacob raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly are you implying?"
Rachel smiled innocently. "Nothing." She checked her watch and then said, "Well, it's about time I left, my mom will kill me if I'm late."
"Where are you going?" he asked, not wanting her to leave. Hospital rooms were very lonely, as he was discovering.
"To the surgery center across the street. That's where my mom works. I'm working there part-time now."
Jacob nodded. "Well," he said, in a low tone, "the next time you work, you wouldn't mind visiting me... would you?"
Rachel smiled again. "Of course not. I know how hospital visits can be. They're really lonely. I speak from experience."
"What experience?" Jacob asked her, trying to stall Rachel.
"I'll save that for another time. 'Bye, Jacob."
"'Bye, Rachel," he replied as she walked out the door.
~*~
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and burst into tears. -Genesis 29:11
Rachel looked at the Bible verse contentedly and smiled. She had just remembered the Biblical love story of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, and the girl he worked fourteen years for, Rachel. Coincidence... or fate?
~*~
Rachel came again, dutifully, like she had always had for the past week, and Jacob smiled. "Guess what?"
"What?"
"I get to leave the hospital today!"
Rachel smiled, that smile that Jacob loved to see. It made him smile. "Cool. So where are you going to go?"
"As soon as I get discharged, I'll take you home, if you want."
"Are you sure? How?"
"I'll drive you there." Jacob took a noisy set of keys off the table next to his bed and jangled them. "Did you know that I'm sixteen and I can drive?"
"Really? Cool!"
Jacob laughed. "Wait for me, yeah? I just have to get changed and stuff."
"Sure. I'll be waiting outside."
Rachel listened carefully. There was no noise, except for the persistent paging over the PA for some doctor or another. Jacob still wasn't done. She pondered over what she had to do... she had brought Jacob his homework that he had to do; she told Mr. Kerner that he wouldn't be at musical practice, so he told her what Jacob had to learn, and she relayed all of this; she hadn't watched Passions... yet... and she still had to do her homework. While she was thinking about all of this, Jacob finished.
"Rachel?"
She looked up. There was the guy she thought was the perfect one for her... he was taller than her, but not too tall, her dark eyes looked into ones that mirrored hers; he was very handsome, with delicate features that made someone do a double-take; he was very comedic, a slapstick, almost; talented, he could sing, dance, act, and figure skate (all very well, Rachel might have added); a smart teenager, Jacob was enrolled in classes such as Honors World History and Advanced Algebra 2/Trigonometry. And to top it all off, Jacob was the nicest, kindest, sweetest sixteen-year-old guy Rachel had ever known. She could relate to him so much.
"Jacob. Hey."
"Ready to go?" He dangled his keys once again and Rachel couldn't help but roll her eyes. She knew he was proud, but...
Jacob helped Rachel into his car, a new, silver Mitsubishi Eclipse that gleamed in the midday sun. "Nice car," Rachel mumbled, admiring the interior, with a three CD changer, surround sound, everything.
"You like it?" Jacob asked, getting into the driver's seat. He hoped she did. For some reason, he wanted to impress her. Jacob felt a sudden twinge of... something. Love? Like? Infatuation? Nah. Well... maybe...
"My God, Jacob, how much did this cost?"
"I don't know," he admitted, as he turned the key of his ignition. "It was a Christmas present."
Rachel let out a low whistle. "Geez."
Jacob smiled as he pulled out of the parking lot and into lunch hour traffic. "So, where do you live?"
Rachel rolled down the window and said, "Actually, I want to go to school."
"School? Why would you want to go there?"
"Because it's the day before Christmas vacation and I want to give my cards to all my friends. And there's this one guy that I want to see..." she trailed off. Even though the cars were making tons of noise, he could still hear her. Maybe it was because he wanted to. Except for the part about the guy... who was he? Did she like him?
"Oh, okay," was all Jacob could say. There was an awkward silence as they went down Candria Street, towards their school. When she thought she couldn't take it anymore, Rachel leaned over and turned on the radio. A familiar song came on.
She rolls the window down
and she talks over the sound
of the cars that pass us by
and I don't know why,
but she's changed my life
Jacob listened to Rachel's melodic voice carry the song as they stopped at a stoplight. The words carried a different effect. They sounded familiar to him... too familiar...
Will you look at her, she looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly,
but she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on, without a doubt,
I wonder if she'll figure out
that I'm crazy for this girl,
yeah, I'm crazy for this girl
Why do I feel like I can relate to this song? Jacob asked himself as Rachel carried on with the song. He shook his head and continued driving.
She was the one to hold me
the night the sky fell down
And what was I thinking when
the world didn't end?
Why didn't I know what I know now?
Would you look at her, she looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly,
but she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on, without a doubt,
I wonder if she's figured out
that I'm crazy for this girl,
yeah, I'm crazy for this girl
"You really like this song, huh?" Jacob asked.
Rachel nodded. "I love it."
Jacob acknowledged this. "Who's it by?"
"Evan and Jaron, these two guys."
"Cool."
Right now, face to face
all my fears pushed aside
And right now, I'm ready
to spend the rest of my life
with you
~*~
Jacob woke up with a start. "Wha... what was that all about?" He looked around. He was still in his hospital room. That was the first dream he'd had about Rachel. "What, do I like her now or something?"
"Like who?" a voice asked. There was his best friend, Alyssa, who was a good friend of Rachel's, too. (She also knew that Rachel was *obsessed* over Jacob but didn't show it. J) "You were dreaming about a girl? Who was it?"
"Oh, no one," Jacob said, blushing. "Hey, Ally. Haven't seen you in a while."
"I know. I heard from Rachel how you were doing. Since when were you two friends?"
"Since she was the first one who got to me onstage yesterday and since she was my first visitor," Jacob retorted.
Alyssa raised an eyebrow. "Really. Do you notice something strange?"
"No," he said, slowly. "Why? What are you saying?"
"Nothing. So. How are you feeling?"
"Well, I get dizzy when I sit up, but other than that, I'm okay. I'm actually hungry. What time is it anyway?"
"6:30 on Thursday morning, why?"
"And you woke up this early to see me?"
"What are friends for? Actually, I was on my way to school for basketball practice, but I decided to drop in and say hi," Alyssa answered. "I don't understand why you have to stay in the hospital for more than a day."
Jacob felt uneasy. "Well... they just wanted to do some more tests on me or something, I guess. I'll be out of here soon, hopefully."
"Yeah, you'd better. You're missing a lot of stuff."
Jacob's eyes widened suddenly. "Oh, my God! My homework and stuff!"
"You can get it when you get back," Alyssa calmly replied.
"No, no, it takes forever for me to catch up. Tell Maria to come in here and tutor me, yeah?" Maria was the sophomore class genius, with a GPA of 4.5.
Alyssa laughed. "I don't know if she'll do that for you, but okay. Hey, you can ask Rachel, she's pretty smart."
"Really?" Jacob asked, surprised. "Is she in Algebra 2?"
"No... but she's smart. She's moving up to Honors World History soon."
"Cool, then I'll have a class with her. Well Algebra 2 is my worst subject so I'm going to need help on that one."
"I guess we can get Maria in here, but I can't promise anything." Alyssa looked at her watch. "I wish I could stay, but I have to go to school now." She made a face. "I'll tell everyone that you said hi."
"Okay, thanks. 'Bye, Alyssa."
"Bye!" she called, over her shoulder, as she left. Jacob sighed. Another day of boredom.
After Alyssa left, Jacob tried to get some sleep. He did that, until a nurse came with his breakfast (hospital food... yuck), urging him to eat it. But he refused. "I'm not too hungry right now," he apologized.
"You don't have to eat it now. We just want to see you eat. Everyone is worried about you because you're dangerously underweight," the nurse replied, warmly. "Please try."
"Okay," Jacob conceded. The nurse kept talking cheerfully as she checked his vital signs, took his blood (for more tests, she explained), and made sure he was as comfortable as he could be (in a hospital, that's not too easy). Once the nurse was done, she said, "I'll be back later. I want that food to be gone when I come back, okay?"
Jacob nodded and then the nurse left. He surveyed what was on his tray. Some kind of soup, apple juice, orange
Jell-o and a piece of bread... not bad. He started picking at it, and then found himself scarfing it down. Maybe there was hope after all.
"I can't tell the difference between this one and that one," Jacob muttered as he clicked between two different soap operas. Of course, it didn't help that he saw one lady on one show, and that the same lady was on another. Too confusing. He shook his head and switched it off, leaning over for the radio. Now, that was something he could enjoy. While he was singing along, a number of familiar voices sounded outside his hospital room.
Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,
o'er the fields we go, laughing all the way
Bells on bop-tail ring, making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hey
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh
He would know those voices anywhere. It was Riverdale High School's Chamber Singers, but as full as they sounded, it sounded like there were more. Sure enough, as they filed into the room, the familiar faces of Riverdale High's show choir, the Mane Attraction, joined those of the Chamber Singers. "Hey, Jake, how's it going?" TJ asked his friend.
"Okay, I guess."
"How are you feeling?" Mr. Kerner wondered.
"I'm just dizzy when I sit up, and I feel congested, but other than that, I'm okay."
"Cool," Emily beamed. "We can't wait to have you back."
"Yeah," Tiffany added. "We miss you."
"Thanks, you guys," Jacob replied, smiling. "You don't know how it's like in a hospital. So lonely."
They hung out for a little bit, until Mr. Kerner declared, "Okay, guys, it's time for us to head back. Jacob, get better, okay?"
"I will, thanks to you guys." Jacob smiled. All of them said their goodbyes, except Amanda, another good friend of his. "Jake, what's wrong? I know there's no reason for you to be staying in the hospital longer than a day."
"Well, there is, actually," Jacob admitted. "Mandy, I have a problem."
"A problem? Like what?"
"An eating disorder."
Mandy replied, "But you don't look anorexic to me... oh, God. It's not... is it?"
Jacob nodded. "They found out I'm a bulimic. That's why they're keeping me in the hospital. They want to be extra careful that I'm okay."
She gasped. "Oh, Jake... why?"
"I don't know. I just want to be perfect. I want someone to love, you know? And I guess... I don't know... I wanted to impress everyone. Including myself."
"Jake..." Mandy sighed. "You'll find someone. Let her come to you."
"Like who? Who would like me?"
Mandy raised an eyebrow. "You mean you don't know?"
"Know what?"
"Never mind."
"Tell me." Jacob's eyes glinted. "Who likes me?"
"No one that you would know. Just know that she cares about you a lot and that she'd love you. Don't know if she does... yet, anyways."
"Can't you at least give me a clue about who it is?"
"Well, I'm not really sure myself. I just know that someone likes you. I think she's in choir."
"Rachel?" The name popped into his head and Jacob was unaware that he had spoken aloud.
"Rachel? Do you even know her?" Mandy asked.
"Actually, no. Not really, anyway. She came to visit me yesterday. And I had a dream about her last night."
"A dream. About Rachel?" Mandy raised her eyebrow waaaaay up.
"No, nothing like that!" Jacob laughed. "Believe me. It was weird... it was the last day of my hospital visit and I drove her to school, and for some reason I wanted to impress her. I guess it's a message from my subconscious about how maybe she's everyone I want to impress."
"Or maybe you really want to impress her. Get to know her better, Jake. She's a really great girl." Amanda checked her watch. "Well, I better be going, Jake. I have to go to work. But I'll come visit you later, okay?"
"Thanks, Mandy. I needed to talk to someone about this."
"Sure. Remember, get to know Rachel. I have a feeling she's the one you'll learn to love." She winked as she left, as Jacob pondered over what Amanda had just told him.
~*~
"Oh, man," Jacob said, listening to one of countless stories that Rachel could tell him. "So, after that, what happened?"
Rachel thought for a minute. "Well, I started throwing up the next morning. My mom had had an appendectomy when she was fifteen, so she knew right away that I needed my appendix out. The nearest hospital was thirty miles away, and I needed to get there or else my appendix would have ruptured and I would have died."
"Whoa. So... they took it out?"
"Yeah. It's kinda fuzzy, because they knocked me out. But I remember waking up in the recovery room with a thing on my finger and a stained hospital gown."
Jacob winced. "And how old were you?"
"Eight. I was going into fourth grade."
"Wow. Did you have to have a huge scar?"
"No, actually... they did some type of operation where there wasn't a huge scar. I have three little ones, though. Still do."
Jacob sat back, shaking his head. "And you were in Arizona. On vacation. My God. Are there anymore stories you can tell me like that?"
"Oh, sure. But I don't want to bore you. What about you? Do you have any stories?"
"Yeah..." he replied, wistfully. "I remember when I was really little... I saw the Olympics or something on TV, and I said, 'I want to do that.' So on my 5th birthday, my parents gave me figure skates and a free lesson from one of my mom's friends. And when I first walked onto the ice, this overwhelming feeling came over me. When I learned how to skate, it was all I could think about. Skating is my life. I love it."
Rachel smiled. "I know how that is. I'm like that with singing."
"Yeah, me too. I sing just because, and I just have that natural talent."
"Right." Rachel raised an eyebrow.
"No! Really! Here. Listen." Jacob started singing to a song he had heard on the radio.
Go to my room and close my eyes
I make believe I have a new life
I don't believe you when you say
"Everything will be wonderful someday"
Promises mean everything
when you're little and the world is so big
I just don't understand how
you can smile with all those tears in your eyes
when you tell me everything is wonderful now
Rachel was impressed. "You sing really well. Really."
Jacob and Rachel continued their long discussion about anything and everything, and by the time Rachel had to leave, they both knew a lot more about each other. Amanda was right. "Get to know Rachel. I have a feeling she's the one you'll learn to love."
Maybe she was his someone to love.
~*~
"Hey, Rachel." Jacob smiled as he saw Rachel again. "What are you doing here so late?"
"Long story," Rachel replied, sitting next to Jacob. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. Why are you up this late?"
"I can't sleep. I mean, I try, but it doesn't help."
Rachel smiled. "I know how to put you to sleep."
"How?" Jacob asked.
"You've heard of something called a lullaby, right?"
He laughed. "Don't think you're going to try that on me."
"Hey, you said yourself that nothing's working. Let's just see if this does."
"Okay, okay. Besides, I want to hear you sing anyway."
"Okay. Cool. Now. Let me think... it can't be just any lullaby... oh, I know." And Rachel started to sing the lullaby in her subconscious.
Ili, ili, tulog anay
Wala diri imong nanay
Kadto tienda bakal papay
Ili, ili, tulog anay
"Hey, that's pretty cool. What language is it in?"
"It's in the Filipino dialect of Illongo. Yeah, my parents used to sing this to me when I was a baby."
Jacob smiled. "And a cute baby you must have been."
Rachel blushed. "Yeah, well... anyways, you're supposed to be sleeping."
"So sing to me again," Jacob prompted.
"Sure thing." She began to sing again, closing her eyes, imagining a little baby in her arms. When Rachel stopped and opened her eyes, Jacob's eyes were closed. "You look so peaceful, Jake. I hope you stay that way." And without realizing it, she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead before she got up, turned the light off and left.
~*~
"Rachel, guess what?"
Jacob's excited voice greeted her at the door. "What?"
"I can go home now!"
"What? Cool!" Rachel rushed and gave him a hug, then pulled away quickly. "I'm sorry... I mean..."
"No, that's okay. Don't worry." Jacob was laughing.
"Okay. Good. So. When are you going to go?"
"As soon as I get my release cleared. Oh. There's one thing that I want to do before you go."
"And what's that?" Rachel asked.
Jacob rummaged around his things and pulled out a camera. "Take a picture."
"What? Here? In the hospital room?" Rachel looked around. "My hair! Why didn't you tell me you were taking a picture?" She thrashed around, trying to find a mirror.
"Girls," Jacob muttered, shaking his head. Just then a nurse came in, saying, "Jacob, you can go now."
He smiled. "Cool. Um... can you do one last thing for me?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Take a picture of my friend Rachel and me." Jacob gave the camera he was holding to the nurse and then pulled Rachel away from the mirror and next to him. "Smile, Rach."
"What? My hair looks like crap!"
"So? How do you think I look?" Jacob motioned to his hospital gown. "I am wearing a hospital gown!"
Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Let's not go there."
Jacob laughed. "Okay. Smile."
She did as she was told, and the nurse took a picture of the couple. "Is she your girlfriend, Jacob?"
They exchanged glances. "No," they said in unison.
"We're just friends," Rachel explained.
"Good friends," Jacob added.
The nurse nodded. "Here's your camera. Good luck, Jacob. Take care of yourself."
"Don't worry, I'll watch out for him," Rachel replied.
"Thanks," Jacob said. He packed the camera into his bag and pulled out a change of clothes. "If you wait, I'll take you home."
"Take me home? Are you sure they'll let you drive? Can you even drive?"
"Well I don't know if they'll let me, but I can drive. I just turned sixteen."
"Cool. You don't have to worry about me, though. My mom is going to take me home."
"You sure?" Jacob asked.
Rachel nodded. "But I'll wait for you."
"You don't have to wait."
"No. I want to. Returning to my mom's work isn't exactly fun, you know?"
He nodded knowingly. "Okay. I'll be done in a second. Hold on."
"Sure." Rachel stepped outside and leaned against the wall. She was so happy that she and Jacob were getting closer. He was exactly the guy that she dreamed him to be... better, too. A smile formed on her face.
A tap on the shoulder interrupted her thoughts. "I'm done."
"Oh!" Rachel turned around. "Cool. So... I guess this is it until next year, huh?"
"I guess. Thanks for everything, Rachel. I've never been in the hospital before, but you made my stay at least enjoyable."
"You sound like Mr. Kerner."
Jacob laughed, because he knew it was true. "Anyways. I hope you have a merry Christmas and a great new year, and I'll see you back at school, okay?"
"You, too, Jake."
Jacob smiled. Rachel turned to leave, but Jacob called her back. "Rachel, wait."
She turned back. "Yeah?"
"Thanks." He pulled into a hug, and she returned it. "'Bye, Jacob."
"'Bye, Rachel." She amazed him more every minute. As soon as she was out of earshot, he murmured, "I think you are my someone to love." Then he picked up his things and left.
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